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They both ran through the shack, out onto the abandoned pier, trying to figure out where to go. There were no lights, no boats in the area, no sign of life.
“That way,” Zen pointed to the road. “This is where Alpha came to meet the guy. There's a road there. We might find help.”
They both started to run toward the road, both panting, Zephyr’s muscles sore and aching, and she doubted her sister was in any better shape. Chests heaving, both breathing hard, they kept going. Almost at the turn, a shot rang out.
Flinching, Zephyr increased her speed, only to feel her sister’s hand slip out of hers.
She stopped running to see what had held her back.
And everything inside her froze.
Zen stood at a spot, looking down at the blood on her hands, a large dark patch forming over her stomach. She looked up at Zephyr, her eyes wide, her beautiful face pale and scrunched in pain, right before her legs crumpled.
“No."
Everything stilled.
Zephyr fell down on her knees at her side, pulling her sister into her arms. “No, no, no, no, no! Zen. Look at me, just breathe with me, you’ll be okay, it’s nothing. Shhhh—”
Sobs wracked her as she felt her sister trembling, similar tears on her face.
“It’s… it’s so cold, Zee,” her sister’s teeth chattered, her body shivering violently.
Zephyr gathered her tighter into her arms. “I’m here, baby,” she hiccupped. “You’ll be okay. Everything will be okay. Help is on the way.”
Zen gave a quivering smile, her eyes going slightly hazy. “Liar. I love you, Zee. You’re… the best… sister… I could’ve… hoped… for.”
Zephyr shook her head, her hands finding the blood coming out of her sister's stomach. “Don’t you say goodbye! Zen. Please. Stay here.”
Zen’s hand came to her face, bloody and shaking, her eyes fluttering close.
Zephyr shook her, voice breaking. “Zen. Zenny. Hang in there. Stay with me please. We'll get out of here.”
They wouldn’t. The place was abandoned, there were no cars on the street and no way to contact anybody. Helpless, in pain, Zephyr screamed, holding her sister to her chest, not knowing what to do.
Zen was just unconscious from the blood loss. That was it. Somehow, they’d get to a hospital and everything would be okay. Someway, she’d find a way.
Something moved in the periphery of her vision. Zephyr looked to see a man emerging from the shadows, his face hidden under his hood as he bent down next to them.
“Where did he go?”
She recognized his voice, the same man who’d given her the envelope in Tenebrae.
Hope blossomed in her heart.
“Please help her,” she begged him, her voice a mess with her tears. “Please. I’m begging you. Please. Please. Help my sister.”
She saw a gloved hand reach for her sister’s neck, checking her pulse.
Of course, it would be there. Slow, but there.
“I’m sorry.”
No.
No.
No.
No.
She shook her head. “No.”
Shaking her sister, Zephyr checked her pulse. Nothing.
“Zen, baby, c’mon answer me. Zen. Zen!”
Agony nothing like she’d ever known before stabbed her heart, splintering it, scarring it, a piece forever gone with the sister she’d loved more than life. Zephyr wailed in her pain, sobbing and sobbing and sobbing, until everything went black.
